


My Kind of Wonderland

by 0bviousLeigh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: And angst, Family, Fluff, M/M, Romance, because what's life without a little angst?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-09 00:18:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8868643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0bviousLeigh/pseuds/0bviousLeigh
Summary: When Yugo first meets Yuya Sakaki, it’s in cram school. Yugo can hardly stop staring, and he’s in total shock when they take their seats and Yuya chooses the one next to him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by Jessica Jung's song "Wonderland"

When Yugo first meets Yuya Sakaki, it’s in cram school. Yugo usually showed up to the first day of classes, and then he skips them to go riding. But this teacher makes them all sit in a circle and introduce themselves, and Yugo is captivated by Yuya. Yugo recognizes his school uniform, pristine and crisp, black pants, white shirt, blue sweater vest and tie—it belongs to the most prestigious school in the city. What’s a kid from that school doing here? But what really caught Yugo was Yuya’s voice, strong and bright and full of laughter. Yugo can hardly stop staring, and he’s in total shock when they take their seats and Yuya chooses the one next to him.

“Nice jacket,” Yuya says.

Yugo’s wearing a black leather jacket. “Thanks,” he mumbles. Yugo regrets not showering the night before, he knows he smells like oil and exhaust fumes.

The next day Yugo wears a clean uniform and combs his hair. He skips school but goes to his cram session. Yuya sits next to him again and asks why Yugo doesn’t have a text book with him.

“Didn’t buy it,” Yugo says.

Yuya hands him his textbook. “Take it. My dad owns this school, I can get another any time.”

That explains why he came to this school. “No thanks,” Yugo says shortly. Yuya’s cute but he doesn’t accept charity.

Yuya pouts. “Please?”

Yugo’s heart twists and he takes the book. He goes to cram school again the day after, despite telling himself he wouldn’t bother. Yugo’s friends tease him for going to cram school when he didn’t even attend actual school. Yugo tells them to stuff their faces. He knew it was stupid, going to cram school just because he had a crush on someone who was totally out of his league and probably not even interested in him. But Yuya is…he was something else.

“You’re good at that.”

Yugo looks up from the chemistry worksheet they’d been given. He’s halfway done, Yuya has barely gotten past the first question.

Yuya moves closer to Yugo. “Can you help me?”

Yugo wonders if he’s hearing things. “’Scuse me?”

Yuya smiles. “Can you show me what to do?”

Maybe out of shock Yugo doesn’t ask any more questions, he simply launches into an explanation of what do. Yuya listens intently, nodding and following Yugo’s instructions. When he finishes the first problem, he laughs. “Hey, I understand it! You’re a good teacher, Yugo.”

Yugo’s stomach flip-flops and he presses his fist into it. “Thanks,” he says.

The next day, Yugo hops on his bike and goes to school. He skips all his classes except chemistry. Most of the kids don’t pay attention, but Yugo takes notes and stays after class to ask for some make-up work. His teacher gives him a funny look but doesn’t say anything about it, which Yugo is grateful for. It’s only three days into the new school year, but Yugo is starting to get optimistic about it.

 

One day at cram school their teacher is late and the kids fill in the time by chatting and writing dumb things on the chalkboard. Yugo’s about to take a nap when Yuya asks, “Where’d you get your bike?”

Yugo opens his eyes again. “Made it.”

Yuya’s eyes widen. “No way! By yourself?”

“My brother helped, but I did most of the work,” Yugo says.

Yuya looks awed. “Wow. What’s it like to ride it?”

Yugo grins. “Amazing. It feels like flying, and let me tell you when I’m on an empty road at night, it feels like time stops and I can ride through space and time and end up anywhere I want.” He laughs. “Pretty corny, isn’t it?”

“Not at all,” Yuya says. “Can you give me a ride someday?”

Yugo laughs. “Get a helmet and a riding jacket and we can talk about it.”

“Yes!” Yuya cheers.

Another day during a break, Yuya takes out a handheld game and starts playing. After a few minutes he groans and mutters, “Damn Regirock.”

Yugo sputters, “Regirock?!”

Yuya holds up his game—Pokémon Sapphire. “I gave up on this game ten years ago because I couldn’t catch it and I still can’t.”

Yugo holds out his hand. “Give me that.”

It takes him five minutes to catch the legendary, and Yuya hugs him and calls him a Pokémon master. Yugo feels like a giant dork but he feels like he’s got butterflies in his chest, and that feeling of happiness stays with him for days.

Yugo continues to help Yuya with Chemistry homework, and Yuya helps him with English and History, and they both get their teacher to help them with composition homework, since they’re both crap at essay writing. Yuya brings bags of chips that they sneak from, Yugo shows Yuya how to use a hoodie and his hair to hide earbuds. They have fun together, and though they only see each other a few hours a day, Yugo feels like he’s known Yuya much longer than that.

It’s kind of too good to last.

 

“What school do you go to?” Yuya asks. “Your uniform doesn’t have a name.”

Yugo doesn’t answer at first. Yuya nudges him. “C’mon,” he says playfully.

Yugo bites his lip. It’s been three months since they met, can he trust Yuya not to judge him?

“Maiami public,” he finally says. The school of forgotten children, where teachers gave up on their students before they even have a chance to do well.

Yuya doesn’t say anything for a minute, and Yugo berates himself for not being a better liar. He waits for Yuya to get up and go to another seat, or burst out laughing. Instead Yuya says, “I’ve been meaning to ask, do you want to come to my house for dinner some time? My parents want to meet you.”

Yugo gapes at him. “Huh?”

Yuya grins. “You helped me get a B on my chemistry test, didn’t I tell you?”

Yugo shakes his head.

“Oh, well now you know. Anyway I told them that you helped me with my homework and they want to thank you.”

“I’ll have to pass,” Yugo says quickly. He grabs his stuff. “Gotta run,” he says, and he takes off like the building is on fire.

When Yugo gets home early, Crow scowls at him. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” Yugo mumbles. He throws his bag and helmet by the door and pastes a smile on his face as the kids come running to meet him. He scoops them up and kisses their heads, and they start fighting for his attention right away. Yugo calls them into the living room and they play board games until Crow chases them off to bed. Yugo tries to sneak away, but Crow grabs him.

“I thought you were finally making an effort.”

Yugo wriggles away from him. “Fuck off, I came home early one day.”

“What happened?” Crow presses.

“None of your business,” Yugo says. He grabs his helmet. “I’m going for a ride.”

Crow doesn’t try to stop him, and Yugo can’t tell if that pisses him off even more or makes him happy. He jumps on his bike and takes off, no destination in mind.

Yugo’s only sixteen but he applied for an advanced motorcycle license and passed the test a few month ago. He built this bike over a period of two years, after Crow gave him an old bike. Yugo did odd jobs and sold little things he made himself to scrape together money for the parts, and now this bike is his pride and joy. Crow’s always telling Yugo that if he puts as much effort into his school work as he does the bike, he could get into a different school, get a scholarship, really make something of himself. Yugo usually tunes him out, but lately he’s been thinking that maybe Crow could be on to something.

_‘My parents want to meet you.’_

Yugo shakes his head and revs the engine, trying to drown out his own thoughts. It doesn’t work. What is Yuya playing at, inviting him over right after Yugo told him what school he goes to? Does the jerk think this is some kind of fairytale, that Yugo is Cinderella and needs rescuing? Yuya’s about three years too late for that, Yugo’s sob stories have already been heard, he’s got a fairy godmother in the form of Crow, his old foster brother who kind of got somewhere and came back for Yugo.

But what if…what if Yuya actually means it?

That’s even more ridiculous. They’ve known each other for three months. Yuya’s a prince and Yugo’s a pauper. They’re just desk-mates at cram school, nothing more. Yugo takes his bike down to the beach, parks in the parking lot and strolls along the sand, picking up shells and smooth pebbles. After about an hour he heads home. The house is dark and he guesses that Crow is already asleep. He heads to the basement and starts messing with the things he’s collected. He glues some shells to a hair bow for Amanda and adds some pieces to the shell Transformer he’s making for the boys. He puts some pebbles aside for shell flowers, and some shells aside for necklaces. He finally collapses in bed at 3 AM.

Yugo skips school, but decides to go to his cram session. Yuya still sits next to him, so that’s…good? After a few minutes a note lands on the corner of Yugo’s desk. He opens it.

‘Meet me in room 201 in ten minutes.’

Yugo glances at Yuya, but Yuya doesn’t look at him. Nearing the ten minute mark, Yuya excuses himself to go to the bathroom. Yugo follows suit a minute later, but unlike Yuya he brings his school bag. He heads upstairs to room 201, an empty classroom. The lights are off, but Yuya is waiting for him.

“What’s your problem?” Yuya asks.

“My problem?” Yugo snaps, “What’s your problem? What are you playing at?”

“Nothing!” Yuya cries, “I’m not playing anything!”

“Could have fooled me. Where do you get off just…just out of the blue inviting me places, huh?”

“It’s what friends do,” Yuya says exasperatedly.

“I’m not your friend!” Yugo explodes. “I’m nobody, I don’t even know why I come to this fucking school because it doesn’t make a difference. And I didn’t do anything to get you a better grade on your test, I don’t know what you told your parents but it wasn’t me.”

“It was!”

“You’re telling me you go to the best school in the world and a nobody from Maiami public helped you learn something?”

“STOP CALLING YOURSELF THAT!” Yuya screams, and Yugo jumps. Yuya glares at him, tears in his eyes.

 _‘Shit,’_ Yugo thinks.

“I don’t give a crap what school you go to,” Yuya says. “I’m sorry if you got that impression, I was just curious. And you did teach me something, because you didn’t look down on me for not knowing, or for asking for help. People think I should know everything but I don’t and you…you really did help me. You’re not a nobody.”

Yugo looks down. “Don’t give me that. This isn’t a fairytale.”

“I never said it was.”

“Yeah next thing you know you’ll be telling me to apply myself more and go to college, or try to get into a better school. I get that from my brother, I don’t need it from you.”

Yuya leans against a desk. “Why does it bother you so much?”

Yugo rolls his eyes. “Maybe you’re just not getting it. I’m an orphan, Yuya. A foster kid. I’ve got no family, no prospects. I don’t want to meet your parents because I have nothing to show them. I’ve been down this road before and it always ends with people thinking I’m lazy or stupid, and I’m not, I’m just realistic, okay? I watched my brother try to claw himself out of this and it didn’t work. He didn’t get what he wanted, he settled. Stop trying to get my hopes up.”

“I’m not,” Yuya begins, but Yugo cuts him off.

“You will. Someday you’ll try, and I’ll believe you and…I’m not going there. I can’t go there.”

Yugo marches out of the classroom, and out of the school.

 

“Yugo, come up here and eat something!”

Yugo lounges on his bed in the basement. “I’m not hungry,” he calls. It’s Sunday night, he has to decide if he wants to face Yuya tomorrow. He rolls over and buries his head in his pillow.

“Bull CRAP!” Crow shouts. “I know you’ve been sneaking midnight snacks and that’s not healthy, get your behind up here or I’m sending the kids down!”

Yugo doesn’t answer, not even when the door opens and he hears footsteps. He waits for the shouts of little kids, but instead the bed dips and he feels Crow’s hand on his knee.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” Yugo says vehemently. “God, why does something have to be wrong?”

Crow pinches him. “Because I know you. You only get like this when something’s wrong.”

Yugo sighs. He swallows past a lump in his throat. “Just this guy,” he mumbles.

“You got dumped?”

“No! I…he’s a smart rich kid and he’s cute, his dad owns my cram school and he invited me to dinner and I just know he’ll try and get me to go places with him, to apply for schools with him and…I can’t start that.”

“Oh,” Crow says. “I see. Yugo, just because I didn’t go to a big fancy school with my boyfriend doesn’t mean you can’t.”

Yugo snorts. “What makes me luckier than you?”

Crow grabs Yugo by his shirt and hauls him up. He tucks Yugo under his arm and hugs him tight. “I didn’t fail. I’m right where I want to be.”

“Why would you want to be here?” Yugo snaps.

Crow could have gone places. He could have gone abroad, he had a scholarship to a college in Europe. He should have gone, he and his boyfriend Jack could have gone together, Jack on a sports scholarship and Crow for engineering. But Crow went to a local college instead. Yugo never asked why, he didn’t need to. Now Crow works for some local lab and has a shitty boss and crappy paycheck and Jack is training for Nascar.

“We won’t always be here,” Crow says.

“Oh, shut up,” Yugo says.

“No, listen to me,” Crow says firmly. “I have a plan. Jack and I do.”

“Jack left!” Yugo screams. He pushes Crow away. “How can you still trust him?!”

Yugo used to look up to Jack. He and Crow lived at the same group home Yugo did, and when Yugo got bullied for having ill-fitting clothes and hand-me-down backpacks, Jack and Crow would walk him to school and back every day to keep him from getting beat up. They’d buy him ice cream and help him study, and they always promised they’d come back for him. Jack got picked up by a big-shot sports agent. Yugo met him once and the guy looked at Yugo like he was a roach on the street. Jack left shortly after that.

Crow shakes his head. “Yugo, you never let people explain themselves. Is this about that sports agent? Jack didn’t sign with him.”

“Who cares?” Yugo asks, “He still left.”

Crow reaches into his back pocket. “He writes all the time.” He shows Yugo a letter, in Jack’s familiar messy handwriting. “Yugo, he’s gonna come back. He’s gonna help us.”

“How?”

“He’s going to hire me to be part of his team, when he’s done training and moves back to Japan.”

“Why can’t he hire you now?”

Crow sighs. “Because he’s in Europe,” he says patiently. “I can’t pack all you kids up and move you away, it’s not allowed, at least not until the adoption papers got through.”

If they ever go through. Yugo’s been waiting two years to be adopted by Crow, and Amanda, Frank and Tanner have been waiting just six months, they’ve got a long line in front of them. Besides, it just confirms what Yugo’s always feared. Crow stayed for him.

“You should have told me you felt this way,” Crow says. “I could have explained it to you. I tried to explain it before but you never wanted to listen.” Crow rubs a hand over his face. “But I can’t say I blame you. I know it’s hard for you to trust people after…well.”

After Yugo damn near got adopted. After he got his hopes up, only for the couple to back out when they learned they were pregnant. Yugo had been seven. It broke his heart.

“Jack’s still a jerk. He didn’t say goodbye,” Yugo mumbles.

Crow chuckles and ruffles Yugo’s hair. “Yeah, that was a dick move. But he would’ve cried like a baby. You don’t know how much he misses you, Yugo. I think he’s afraid to tell you.”

“Why?” Yugo asks.

“Because he knows you looked up to him. And he still might not make it, but god he wants to. He wants to make it and bring some kind of joy to this town and all the foster kids in Japan who think they’re not worth anything. But he’s scared to fail. And he’s scared of you thinking he’s weak.”

Yugo’s eyes fill with tears. He hides his face in his hands.

Crow rubs his back. “Tell me more about this boy. What’s holding you back?”

Yugo sniffles. “I’m never gonna get out of here, Crow. I’m not smart like you. And don’t try to tell me to apply myself. I tried, nobody seems to believe that but I did. I’m only good at chemistry and I need more than that to be good.”

“What about art?” Crow asks. “You could try for an art program. Look at what you do with scrap metal and shells!”

“What can that do?” Yugo scoffs.

“You won’t know that until you try it out,” Crow says. “And give this guy a chance. Maybe he really likes you for you.”

Not after the spectacle Yugo made of himself on Friday. He flops back on his bed and Crow goes back upstairs. Yugo stares at his work bench. Maybe he could do something…

He gets up and starts working.

 

The next day Yugo cuts his last class to wait for Yuya at cram school. He’s not sure Yuya will want to talk to him, but he’s got to try. Slowly students start arriving, and when Yugo sees Yuya walking towards the school, his heart starts pounding. Yuya catches his eyes and hustles over.

Yugo puts his hands in his pockets to hide how they’re shaking. “About Friday,” Yugo says, “I’m sorry, I was going through some stuff and I let it affect how I thought about you, and it wasn’t fair of me to unload all of it on you.”

Yuya nods. “I kind of figured. I’m sorry I didn’t ask you about how you were feeling. But listen, if you ever wanna talk, I’m here for you.”

Yugo curls his fingers around the little statue in his pocket and he takes it out. “I made this for you,” he says quietly, holding it out to Yuya.

Yuya takes it and is eyes widen. “You made this?!”

It’s a Regirock figure, made out of beach pebbles. It’s only about the size of Yugo’s palm, he didn’t want to make it huge. “Yeah. It’s kind of—anyway I hope you like it.”

Yuya hugs him. “Yugo, it’s awesome!” He cries. “I love it!” He leans back and examines the figure. “Wow, I can’t believe how small some of these rocks are! How did you have patience for this? How long did it take you to make?”

“Not long, maybe two hours?”

Yuya gapes at him. “Two hours?!”

Yugo laughs. “That’s nothing, I’m making a Transformer out of shells for my little brothers, it’s taken me a month to get halfway done.”

“Oh my god,” Yuya blurts. “Can I see?”

Yugo hesitates, then he nods. “Yeah, okay. You can come to my house, if you want.”

Yuya smiles. “Can we go now?”

“What about cram school?”

“Oh yeah,” Yuya says, his face falling slightly. “Ugh, I forgot.”

Yugo laughs. “We’re standing right outside the school!”

“Oh leave me alone,” Yuya whines.

Yugo slings his arm around Yuya’s shoulders. “Not a chance, you’re stuck with me now.”

After class, Yuya texts his parents to let them know he’s going home with a friend. “Can we take your bike?” Yuya asks.

“Do you have a helmet?” Yugo asks, and to his shock Yuya shoves his schoolbooks into Yugo’s hands and takes a helmet out of his backpack.

“That’s a regular bike helmet,” Yugo says.

Yuya pouts. “Can’t it count this one time?”

Yugo sighs and nods. “Just this once.”

Yuya snatches his books back and packs them quickly, and they get on the bike.

“Keep your body loose,” Yugo says.

Yuya rests his hands lightly on Yugo’s waist. Yugo chuckles and grabs Yuya’s arms and makes him wrap them around his torso. “Lean on me, I mean it,” Yugo says. He waits for Yuya’s chest to rest against his back. “Just follow me, okay? If I lean, you lean.”

Yuya nods, and they’re off. Yuya laughs nervously, and Yugo calls, “If you want me to stop, just tell me.”

But Yuya seems to relax after a few minutes, and they make it to Yugo’s house in one piece, with Yugo actually obeying the speed limit for once in his life. When Yugo pulls into the driveway and cuts the engine, he asks Yuya, “What did you think?”

Yuya unbuckles his helmet. “That was so cool,” he says, he’s got stars in his eyes, and it’s doing things to Yugo’s heart.

Yugo clears his throat and takes off his helmet. “That wasn’t even that fast. You should…well, not now, not for your second ride.”

“So you’ll take me for a ride again?!” Yuya asks excitedly.

“After you get a helmet!” Yugo squawks, waving his hands. “And we’re going to do that now, come with me.” He grabs Yuya’s hand and pulls him into the garage. Yugo has a collection of helmets, most of them too small for him, but Yuya looks like he’s got a small head, maybe one of them will fit him. He grabs a red helmet that he rejected because it had a scratch in the corner of the visor, but since Yuya’s not driving it shouldn’t be a problem. He shoves it on Yuya’s head.

“How’s that feel?” Yugo asks.

“A little tight,” Yuya says, his voice muffled. He pushes the visor up, Yugo pushes it back down and proceeds to knock on the helmet and shake Yuya by his head. Yuya yelps and flails, and when he’s satisfied, Yugo pulls the helmet off Yuya’s head.

“Perfect,” Yugo says as Yuya shakes his head and rubs his eyes. “It fits like a glove. You can have it.”

“Really?” Yuya asks.

“Really, but you need to get your own jacket,” Yugo says, “Something that’ll keep your arms safe if we skid out, and never ride a motorcycle if you aren’t wearing jeans, proper jeans, thick ones, not those skinny things they sell in forever 21 or whatever.”

“Yes, sir!” Yuya says, saluting.

Yugo blushes. “Oh, stop that,” he says. “C’mon, you wanted to see the Transformer.”

Yugo leads Yuya inside, and they both yelp as their accosted by the kids.

“Yugo you’re home!”

“Who’s this?”

“Is he your boyfriend?”

“OYE!” Yugo shouts, his face aflame, “Keep your mouths shut!”

The kids giggle and Crow peers into the hallway. “Oh,” he says with a smile, “You made it.” He bats the kids away and holds his hand out to Yuya. “I’m Crow, Yugo’s brother.”

“Nice to meet you,” Yuya says.

Crow shoos the kids off and tells Yugo that dinner will be ready in half an hour. Yugo leads Yuya down the stairs to his room.

“I basically have the whole basement to myself,” Yugo says. “It’s kind of nice, it’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer, plus I can sleep as late as I want without being woken by the sun.”

He realizes his room is kind of a mess. He quickly kicks a pair of underwear under his bed. Yuya’s not paying attention, he goes right to Yugo’s work bench.

“Wow,” Yuya says, gazing wide-eyed at the figure on Yugo’s desk. Made of a Styrofoam and wire body structure, it’s already half covered in shells, large and small, put together to look like armor.

“You can touch it,” Yugo says, “The glue is dry.”

Yuya gently touches one of the conical shells on the figure’s hand. “This is amazing.”

“I don’t normally work on things that big,” Yugo says, “So it’s taking a while, but it’s for the kids.”

Yuya sees the hair bows and he picks one up—Yugo has glued some small clamshells into the shape of a flower. “That’s adorable!”

“Amanda loves frilly things,” Yugo says, “But that stuff’s expensive, you know? So I make cute stuff for her to wear. I make necklaces, too.” He takes out a small box and shows Yuya the shells and smooth pebbles he uses to make pendants for the kids, and for Crow.

“They’re so nice,” Yuya says. “And it’s such a great gift, I can tell you put a lot of thought into these things.”

Yugo blushes. He clears his throat. “Well, I do what I can for them, you know.”

Yuya sits on Yugo’s bed. “I wish I had siblings. You get an older brother and younger siblings!”

Yugo sits beside Yuya. “They drive me crazy but…I don’t know where I’d be without them.” Actually he does know—he’d probably be in juvie if Crow hadn’t gotten him out of that group home. “You’re an only child?”

Yuya’s face falls. “Yeah,” he says quietly.

“What’s up?” Yugo asks.

Yuya looks down. “My mom, she…she always wanted more kids. She had three miscarriages after she had me. The last was this year.”

“Oh, god,” Yugo gasps. “You okay?”

Yuya shrugs. “I don’t know. I kind of hoped this time…and sometimes I wonder if it’s my fault, you know? If something happened to her when I was born.”

Yugo holds out his hand and Yuya takes it. “That’s not your fault,” Yugo says.

Yuya nods. “I still wonder sometimes.” He gives himself a little shake. “Anyway, enough about my sob story.”

Yugo squeezes Yuya’s hand. “You said I could talk to you, same goes for you—you can talk to me.”

Yuya pulls one leg up on the bed and he rests his chin on his knee. He looks so young.

“How old are you?” Yugo asks.

“Sixteen.”

Yugo nods. “I thought so. You look younger, though.”

Yuya smiles. “People think I’m in middle school. It’s because I try to think happy thoughts, you know? Like Peter Pan. Never grow up, never be sad.”

“You can’t be happy all the time, though,” Yugo says. “That’s just lying to yourself.”

Yuya shrugs. “Most of the time it works.”

Yugo glances at the stairs. “You probably guessed this but…Crow’s not my biological brother, neither are any of those kids up there my biological siblings. Crow and I grew up together and when he got a job, he came back for me, he got me out of a really bad place. But me and those kids, we all go to failing schools, we’re all stuck in a system that doesn’t work for us. I tried staying positive, it didn’t work out so well for me. I also tried being angry all the time and, well, I’m learning now that a lot of my rage is misdirected. You have to find a balance, learn where to direct what you feel and realize that it’s okay to be sad and angry, just like it’s healthy to be happy.”

Yuya scoots closer to Yugo. “I’m glad you have Crow. I can tell he makes you happy.”

Yugo’s stomach is doing flip flops. Yuya is so, so close. “You have freckles on your nose,” Yugo tells him.

“Do I?” Yuya asks, blinking a few times in rapid succession. God, his eyelashes are gorgeous.

“Yeah,” Yugo says. He clears his throat. He and Yuya are still holding hands. He half expects something to happen, but all that happens is Yuya scoots a little closer and rests his head on Yugo’s shoulder. Yugo melts, he leans into Yuya, his cheek pressed to the top of Yuya’s head, and closes his eyes. Yuya smells crisp, like laundry and fresh air, and his hair is soft on Yugo’s cheek. He really is like a prince. They sit like that for a while.

There’s a shout from upstairs. “Dinner is ready!”

Yuya sits up slowly. “Is it okay if I stay?”

Yugo nods. “We always have room for one more.”

Crow made chicken-noodle soup, the real stuff, not the canned, sodium-laced crap. Crow asks Yuya about his favorite subjects in school and Yuya tells him about how Yugo helps him with chemistry. The kids get bored of that conversation and tell Yuya about the movie they’re shooting, with Yugo’s old digital camera and the laptop that Crow lets them have for two hours on Sunday after they finish their homework. They’re making, essentially, a Transformers self-insert fanfiction, but they’re so into it, and Yuya is appropriately impressed, so the kids make him promise to come back so they can show him what they’ve worked on.

“And you never answered us,” Amanda says keenly, “Are you Yugo’s boyfriend?”

Yugo chokes on his soup and Crow thumps him on the back.

“Mandy, I told you before that’s none of your business!”

“Who would wanna date Yugo?” Tanner asks, “He smells like grease.”

“OYE!” Yugo shouts, reaching across the table and tugging Tanner’s hair, “I smell fine, thanks!”

Once more, the question goes unanswered.

After dinner, Yugo gives Yuya a ride home on his bike. With the sun down and most people off the road, it’s tempting to step on the gas, but Yugo keeps it under the speed limit. He drops Yuya off at a cute house, two stories and with an impressive yard. Yugo can hear dogs barking inside.

“Want to come in?” Yuya asks.

“Nah, I’ve got homework and stuff,” Yugo says.

Yuya tugs off his helmet. “Sure you don’t want it back?”

Yugo nods. “Keep it.”

Yuya grins and bends down slightly. He pushes up Yugo’s visor and leans in really, really close.

“If you want,” Yuya says quietly, “You can tell Amanda that I am your boyfriend.”

Yugo’s jaw drops, and he quickly closes it.

Yuya grins. “See you tomorrow,” he says happily, and he practically skips up to his house. He sends Yugo a heart with his hands right before he goes inside.

Yugo takes off down the street, going as fast as he dares. Once he’s on the road, he lets out a joyous shout, so loud that not even his engine can drown it out.

 

The next few days are much like the ones before, except now Yugo and Yuya hold hands under their desks, but they don’t talk about what Yuya said, nor what it means for them going forward.

Towards the end of the week, Yuya shows up a cram school with a bunch of shopping bags.

“What’s all that?” Yugo asks.

Yuya shows Yugo the contents of one bag. It’s stuffed with pink clothing.

“Wow,” Yugo says.

“My neighbor, Yuzu, her girlfriend used to get stuff like this from family all the time and she hated it. Turns out she stuffed it all in her attic and forgot about it until I asked Yuzu if she had any clothes that didn’t fit her anymore. I’ve got some stuff for the boys too, because Serena—Yuzu’s girlfriend—she loved Transformers, there’s a bunch of t-shirts in here and some DVDs, too.”

Yugo stares at him. “Wow. Thanks, that’s so nice of you to think of the kids.”

“I was gonna ask my dad to give me a ride to your house with this stuff after school, is that okay?”

Yugo nods. “Yeah, sure.” He hopes Crow doesn’t mind, he’s not big on accepting hand-outs, but this is more like a hand-me-down, isn’t it?

When Yugo drives home with Yuya and his dad following in their car, Yugo’s head is filled with ways he can sweet-talk Crow into accepting this stuff, but he doesn’t need to worry. Yuya goes bounding into the house and tells the kids that he and his friends have been wanting to find a good home for their old toys and clothes, and they’ve finally found one. The kids are overjoyed, Amanda runs to her room to change into a pink dress and the boys beg Crow to watch one of the DVDs, and Crow doesn’t have the heart to say no, so the boys give Yuya tight hugs and thank him, and Amanda comes back downstairs in her dress and with paper and crayons clutched in her hands.

“We have to make thank-you cards for Yuya and his friends,” she tells the boys, “It’s the polite thing to do.”

Crow and Yuya’s dad go to the kitchen and Yuya lays down on the floor with the kids and draws with them. Yugo sits next to Yuya and Frank makes himself at home on Yugo’s lap. After a few minutes, Amanda looks up.

“Hey Yuya, are you—?”

“Yugo’s boyfriend?” Yuya finishes. He looks up at Yugo. “Didn’t you tell her?”

Yugo shrugs. “I did, she didn’t believe me.”

Amanda stares at Yuya. “Why? He’s weird.”

Yuya smiles. “He makes me happy.”

Yugo blushes, Frank gags, and Amanda and Tanner squeal, “So cute!”

Yuya leaves shortly after that, thank you cards in hand, and he blows Yugo a kiss. Yugo’s never been one for PDA, but he makes a heart with his hands, just like Yuya did the other night. As Yuya drives off, Crow puts his hand on Yugo’s shoulder.

“His dad said you’re welcome at their house whenever you want, including this weekend when he and his wife are away.”

Yugo almost chokes on his own tongue. “He said that?” He asks, turning to face Crow.

Crow nods, and give Yugo a serious look. “I can tell this kid is special to you, and we’ve talked about this before but I think it bears going over once more.”

“OH MY GOD!” Yugo screams—he knows where this is going. Crow catches him by the collar before he can run.

“Do you need condoms?” Crow asks, “Or lube? I mean I would prefer you weren’t sexually active this early in your relationship but if you need anything…”

Yugo backs out of his shirt and takes off for the basement. “WOW I’M TIRED GOODNIGHT EVERYONE!” He screams, slamming the door shut behind himself. He dashes down the stairs and into his bed, burrowing under the covers. It’ll be years before his face stops being red. He finds the strength to text Yuya.

‘Crow said your dad told him that I can go to your house this weekend. Is that true?’

Yuya texts back, ‘Yeah, he and my mom will be away and they worry about me being home alone. Do you want to come over after cram school tomorrow?’

Yugo gulps and texts back, ‘Sure.’

 

Yugo goes to school, but he barely pays attention. He’s a mess of nerves, and on his way to cram school he nearly crashes his bike into a garbage can. When he gets inside and sees Yuya, it’s a little easier to forget about the implications of spending a weekend at his newly-proclaimed boyfriend’s house. Yuya’s so innocent, surely Yugo didn’t need the condoms and lube he shoved deep into his duffle bag and only at Crow’s insistence that he be prepared.

After class, Yugo follows Yuya’s car to the Sakaki family house. He parks his bike in the driveway and follows Yuya and Mr. Sakaki into the house, where he’s accosted by three dogs and Yuya’s mother.

“It’s so good to finally meet you!” Mrs. Sakaki cries, enveloping Yugo in a tight hug. Yugo freezes, unsure of what do to, and she leans back, her hands resting gently on Yugo’s shoulders and smiling brightly. Yugo knows now where Yuya got his wonderful smile from. “Sorry to say hello and goodbye like this, but my husband and I really need to get a move on. Yuya knows the drill but help yourself to anything in the fridge, there’s money for pizza, and if you go out, be back before midnight.” She lets go of Yugo and hugs Yuya, kissing his cheek. “Bye, baby, I love you.”

“Love you too!” Yuya says. He hugs his dad, and Mr. Sakaki shakes Yugo’s hand, and then they’re off.

“Um…” Yugo says.

Yuya laughs. “They’re catching a train to my grandparent’s house. They always leave late, my mom has a hard time leaving the animals.” Yuya introduces Yugo to the dogs, En, Kilo, and Watt, and the cats, Core, Salt, and Pepper. When giving Yugo a tour of the house, Yugo nearly walks smack into a pole in the middle of the kitchen.

“That’s how I exit my room,” Yuya says. He leads Yugo upstairs and shows him that the pole is in the hallway, outside of Yuya’s room. Yuya opens his door and shows Yugo his room, sparsely furnished but with walls plastered in old movie posters. There’s a roll-away bed set up with blankets and pillows.

“I can take that bed if you want a proper one,” Yuya says.

“It’s fine,” Yugo assure, kicking his duffel bag next to the bed. “You’re a lot neater than me.”

Yuya cringes. “Just…don’t open the closet.”

Yugo laughs, and Yuya invites him to use the pole to get downstairs. Yugo accepts the invitation, and he has to admit it’s pretty fun. Yuya orders pizza and tells Yugo to pick a movie. They spend the rest of the night eating and watching movies, and they do end up pressed side-by-side on the sofa, and would fall asleep there if Yugo didn’t insist they both brush their teeth. Before they collapse in their beds, Yuya pushes the roll-away bed closer to his own, so close that the mattresses touch. As Yugo drifts off to sleep, he could swear he feels Yuya’s hand on his head, gently stroking his hair.

 

In the morning Yugo wakes up to the smell of pancakes. He slides down the pole and finds Yuya in the kitchen, carefully watching a frying pan and oblivious to the dogs that salivate at his feet. Yugo shuffles up behind him and wraps his arms around Yuya’s waist. Yuya doesn’t even jump.

“Morning,” Yugo mumbles, his mouth pressed to Yuya’s shoulder, and Yuya full-on shivers. Yugo smirks.

“Shut up,” Yuya whines, elbowing Yugo in the ribs.

For a while Yuya cooks with Yugo hanging on to him like some kind of over grown sloth, then Yuya shakes him off and tells him to put out plates. They eat, wash the dishes, and get dressed so they can take the dogs out. They walk around the neighborhood, hand in hand, for half an hour before heading home, and then Yugo asks Yuya if he wants to practice riding on Yugo’s bike.

“Practice?” Yuya repeats.

“I want to take you for a proper drive,” Yugo says, “But I can’t do that until I know you’re comfortable on the bike. Did you get that jacket like I told you?”

Yuya nods and races to get it, and his helmet. He follows Yugo outside, and Yugo explains the finer points of motorcycle safety before they get on the bike and head off.

“Where are we going?” Yuya calls.

“An old mall parking lot,” Yugo answers.

The mall has been slated for demolition for a year, but it’s slow going, and the parking lot is usually empty. After a slow ride (because Yugo is paranoid) they arrive, and Yugo kills the engine for a moment.

“By the way, what did your parents say about my bike and you riding it?” They must know, since Yugo took Yuya home one night and they’ve seen the motorcycle.

Yuya scoffs. “This jacket? It’s my mom’s. She was part of a motorcycle gang when she was younger, can you believe that? She wore men’s jackets because they didn’t make good ones for girls. She told me to do exactly as you say.”

“I like your mom,” Yugo laughs.

They spend a few hours practicing tight turns, acceleration, and sudden stops. With Yuya pressed close to Yugo, Yugo can feel how tense or relaxed he is, and he makes sure to gradually make his turns tighter and go faster as he feels the tension leave Yuya’s core. By the end of their practice run, Yugo feels confident in his plan for the evening, and he tells Yuya so.

“I wanna take you somewhere tonight.”

“Where?” Yuya asks.

Yugo holds a finger to his lips. “It’s my secret getaway,” he says with a wink. Yuya blushes and Yugo laughs. “You’ll like it, I promise. But we have to go at sunset.”

“Why?” Yuya asks.

Yugo hands him his helmet. “Just trust me.”

 

As the sun begins to set, Yuya feeds his pets, packs a backpack with some water bottles and snacks, and, at Yugo’s request, a change of pants. Yuya had looked confused at that, but shoved extra pairs of jeans into the bag anyway.

“Is it far?” Yuya asks as they lock up the house.

“Not that far, but we might be there a while,” Yugo answers. They get on the bike and Yuya melts against Yugo, his chin tucked against Yugo’s shoulder. Yugo keeps to the speed limit as they ride through the city, but once they’re on the road he steps on the gas.

“Here we go!” Yugo cries.

As Yugo drives further out of town, the traffic thins out and he goes faster. The sunset lights the sky on fire, and several time Yugo swears he can hear Yuya gasp. On the highway, Yugo takes the exit for the beach, and Yuya lets out a whoop. Yugo laughs.

“Surprise!” Yugo calls.

“This is so cool!” Yuya yells back.

They drive past the huge parking lot for the beach, going further down to a spot people tend to avoid because of rocks in the water. Yugo is able to park his bike right next to the sand, and he and Yuya have arrived just before the sun sinks below the horizon.

They leave their helmets with the bike but keep their jackets on as they run towards the sand. The wind from the water brings a chill with it, and Yuya grabs Yugo’s hand and holds tight.

“You cold?” Yugo asks.

Yuya shakes his head. He tears his eyes off the sunset to look around briefly. “I’ve never been this far down before.”

“There’s rocks in the water, so people don’t come here to swim, and this time of year we pretty much have the place to ourselves.”

Yuya shrugs off the backpack and plops down on the sand, dragging Yugo with him. They lean against each other as they watch the sun sink below the waves, then they watch the orange glow in the sky fade to pink, and then dusky purple. The first stars begin to twinkle in the sky, and Yuya sits up.

“Let’s look for shells,” he says.

They’ve gotten cold from sitting still, and they shake some feeling back into their arms and legs. They hunt down shells and pebbles, Yugo finds some that’ll work nicely in his Transformer sculpture, and Yuya collects a bunch of pretty rocks. At one point, Yuya kicks off his shoes and socks and dashes into the surf to chase a seashell.

“You’re nuts!” Yugo calls after him.

“Isn’t this why you said to bring extra pants?” Yuya asks as he emerges, wet from the knees down, but holding his shell.

“Yeah but I didn’t think you’d go in.”

Yuya puts down his rocks and shells. “Come with me.”

Yugo looks askance at the water. “It’s probably freezing.” But he catches Yuya’s puppy eyes and takes off his shoes and socks, leaving his shells safely next to them and taking Yuya’s hands.

They race into the water, screaming as the waves break over their toes. It’s like ice, but it’s invigorating. Yuya kicks his feet at a wave, and Yugo sneaks up behind him and grabs him around the waist to lift him up and spin him around. Yuya shrieks with glee and laughs. Yugo sets him down for a minute, then does it again. They grab hands and run through the waves, nearly tripping several times, but when they can’t feel their toes and they finally leave the water, they’ve managed to go without falling.

They head back to their stuff, but suddenly Yugo pulls Yuya to a stop.

“Did you look up?” Yugo asks.

Yuya shakes his head.

“Do it,” Yugo says.

Yuya tilts his head back and gasps. Yugo keeps his eyes on Yuya’s face, what he can see of it, because he knows what Yuya sees—stars, thousands of them. What Yugo sees is utter joy and wonder on Yuya’s face.

“It’s beautiful,” he says. He tears his eyes off the sky and looks wide-eyed at Yugo. “It’s amazing.”

“That’s why I wanted to share it with you,” Yugo says.

Yuya smiles and takes a step forward. “Thank you,” he says quietly. His eyes are on Yugo’s mouth.

Yugo closes his eyes and tilts his head forward. He kisses Yuya softly at first, wondering if he’ll wake up from a dream. But it’s not a dream. Yugo touches the tips of his fingers to Yuya’s face, and he leans in for another kiss. Yuya’s arms go around Yugo’s shoulders, and his lips part. Yugo swipes his tongue against Yuya’s mouth, pulling back quickly and looking at Yuya, gauging his reaction. Yuya’s pupils are blown, he’s panting, and he tugs Yugo back.

Yugo sucks on Yuya’s lower lip and Yuya moans, reaching up to card his fingers through Yugo’s hair. Somehow Yugo’s hands have ended up in Yuya’s shirt, and he splays his fingers over Yuya’s ribs. Yuya giggles and leans back to nip Yugo’s jaw playfully.

Yugo nuzzles Yuya’s cheek and whispers, “We should really get out of these wet pants.”

“Yeah,” Yuya agrees. “I’m freezing.”

They separate to change, shoving their wet things in the backpack. Once they’re dressed again, Yuya takes Yugo’s hand.

“Home?”

Yugo nods. “Yeah, let’s go.”

They pack up their treasures and head back to the bike. Before they take off, Yugo tells Yuya to keep his eyes on the sky. Yugo focuses on the road, but if he was alone, he would have looked up at the sky too. He can’t do that tonight, he won’t do that, because he won’t risk it while Yuya is with him.

As they get back in the city and the lights drown out the stars, Yuya presses his forehead to Yugo’s back.

“I felt it,” Yuya says when they stop at a light.

“Felt what?” Yugo asks.

“Like I was flying,” Yuya answers.

Yugo’s heart soars at those words.

When they get back home, Yuya throws their wet jeans in the laundry and tells Yugo to go shower first while he takes care of the animals. When Yugo’s done and Yuya takes his turn, Yugo goes to Yuya’s room and flops down on his bed. He goes over their kiss, their first kiss, and he touches his lips, still kind of in shock.

That was his first kiss ever. He wonders if it was any good. He thought it was amazing, but what did Yuya think? He must have been enjoying himself, he was smiling.

Yugo rolls onto his side and burrows into Yuya’s pillow. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply. He’s got a warm feeling in his chest, a feeling he hasn’t had since Crow filed his adoption papers. It’s a feeling of belonging, and of contented happiness.

The door opens and Yugo rolls onto his back just as Yuya pounces on him.

“Got you!” Yuya cries, grinning down at Yugo.

“So you did,” Yugo says, “What now?”

Yuya leans down and kisses him. Yugo melts, he closes his eyes and wraps his arms around Yuya’s back. Yuya grins into the kiss, and when they pull back to breathe he presses his forehead against Yugo’s.

“You’re something else, Yugo.”

Yugo smiles. “Thanks. You are, too.”

Yuya falls on his side and snuggles his way into Yugo’s chest and oh dear god he’s too cute, he’s just too cute.

“You’re too cute,” Yugo says, and Yuya laughs.

“It’s what I’m best at,” Yuya says. He lifts his head and kisses Yugo briefly before saying, “I promise I won’t try to change you, or scold you for not working hard enough, but I meant what I said when I told you that you weren’t a nobody. I hope you know that.”

Yugo sighs. “I do know that. It’s just…it’s not easy to make that change, you know?”

Yuya tucks his head under Yugo’s chin and kisses his neck. “I’m here for you,” he whispers against Yugo’s skin. “Any time you need me, anything you need, I’m here for you.”

Yugo hugs Yuya and closes his eyes, his heart twisting. Maybe he can do something. If Crow is right and Jack is coming back for them, if Crow is going to get a better job, then maybe Yugo can get into a better school. Maybe they can move to a better neighborhood. Maybe he can try just a little harder.

Yugo’s about to say something, but he realizes that Yuya has fallen asleep, his breathing deep and even, puff of warm air against Yugo’s neck. Yugo smiles and kisses Yuya’s hair. “Sleep well,” he whispers.

 

The rest of the weekend passes in a blur of cuddling, kissing, watching movies, and playing with the dogs. When Yugo goes home on Sunday night he can tell that Crow wants to talk to him about the weekend, but Yugo has something he needs to do first.

“I know it’s a long distance thing, but can we call Jack?” He asks. “I want to talk to him.”

Crow drops the cup he’s drying and hugs Yugo. “Yes,” he says, “We can call him.” He leans back and grins at Yugo. “What made you change your mind?”

Yugo shrugs. “Guess I’m just in a bit of a better place now.”

Crow tells the kids to come sit around the table. He puts his phone on speaker and places it on the table. After a few rings, a familiar voice answers.

“Crow, is that you?”

“JACK!” The kids scream. They talk over each other for a few minutes, until Crow shushes them. Yugo leans close to the phone.

“Jack, can you hear me?”

There’s a gasp. “Yugo, is that you?”

“Yeah,” Yugo answers. He feels like he could cry.

“Hey, buddy,” Jack says, “I’ve missed you.” His voice breaks and Yugo breaks down.

“I miss you, too,” he says through his tears.

“I’m coming home soon,” Jack vows. “I’ll be back really soon, I promise.”

Yugo wipes his eyes. “I’m gonna kick your butt when you get here,” he says.

Jack laughs. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Yugo laughs, and soon everyone is laughing. Crow reaches across the table and grans Yugo’s hand. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispers.

Yugo is starting to believe that.

**Author's Note:**

> so my birthday is in April and I made a wishlist bc I'm shameless like that.
> 
> http://rainbow-galaxy-supernova.tumblr.com/post/154465433526/mimi-makes-a-wishlist


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